LOS ANGELES — As the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes near the finish line, the New York Knicks appear to be in the lead position to acquire the Nuggets’ all-star.

The Knicks, who have been Anthony’s preferred destination all along, upped their offer Friday.

The Knicks have offered forward Danilo Gallinari, point guard Raymond Felton, forward Wilson Chandler and center Eddy Curry, plus a No. 1 draft choice to be acquired from another team, in exchange for Anthony, Chauncey Billups and fill-in players to make the salaries match, according to a league source. Curry, who is making $11.276 million, would be valued only for his expiring contract.

The New Jersey Nets are also in the picture, but Melo would first need to sign a contract extension to make any trade happen, and he’s given no indication over the past several months that he would sign an extension to play for New Jersey. He will sign the extension to play for the Knicks.

The Bergen Record, citing league sources, reported early today that the Nuggets and Nets have reached a tentative agreement on a trade, should the Nets get Anthony to sign an extension.

Anthony said today he’s hopeful his situation gets worked out soon but was coy about the status of various trade scenarios.

Melo said early in the afternoon that no “legit” trade has been placed in front of him, but said he’s been kept in the loop by the Nuggets’ management and his agent, Leon Rose. He did not address any conversations he might have had with the Knicks, though the New York Daily News reported he met with Knicks’ officials Thursday night.

Anthony said he knows of no meeting set up here during the All-Star weekend with New Jersey owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

If the latest proposed deal from the Nets goes through, which is unlikely, the Nuggets would receive rookie post player Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Ben Uzoh, Troy Murphy and four first-round draft picks. They would then try to move Murphy to another team. In addition to Anthony, the Nets would acquire Billups and a bevy of bench players from the Nuggets.

Anthony said he would like to have a firm idea of what his options are by the end of the weekend. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.

“I haven’t got no sleep in a week. I want to get it done. Before I leave here I would like to have something on the table. They could say to me, ‘Melo this is what we have.’ “

Nuggets officials were not returning calls for comment on the latest slate of trade developments.

The Nuggets have had a 3-year, $65 million extension offer on the table since last June. Anthony said he hasn’t talked with the Nuggets since last fall about staying with the team, though he indicated just over a week ago he might sign the extension.

More in Sports

Broncos general manager John Elway was reminded of the nice weather, of the fun memories he had some 13 miles west in Palo Alto in college and of course the ones he experienced here in Santa Clara back in 2016.

A tangled mess at Coors Field unraveled early Thursday afternoon as rookie right-hander Jeff Hoffman craned his neck to see home run after home run leave the yard. Before the end, it devolved into a dilemma.